


Cocktails and Dreams

by hogwartshoney



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Male Slash, Rating: NC17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 17:26:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hogwartshoney/pseuds/hogwartshoney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus Snape working in a bar was the last thing Remus expected, but the surprises didn't end there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cocktails and Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Long prompt 30 -- After the war, Remus discovers Severus working as a mixologist and seemingly into women, can he get Severus back to the other side of the pitch.

 

  
"Would you  _look_  at that arse!"

"Could those leather pants BE any tighter?"

"Are you complaining?"

"Not in the slightest!"

"I've never wanted to be a zipper so badly in my life."

"Are you drooling?"

"He is so fucking hot!"

"Oh, shit, he's coming over…"

"Here you are, ladies. Two Screwdrivers and a Cape Codder with extra cran."

A cold wash of shock swept over Remus at the sound of that voice, and he barely had time to process the implications of it before his eyes beheld the man in question. Due to his position in the corner, he hadn't been seen, but as the man turned to leave, Remus cleared his throat. "Hey, bartender! I'd like a drink, please."

At Remus' words, the man's spine stiffened and he froze for a long moment, his entire body half-tensed as though in preparation for battle. Then, just as Remus began to wonder whether he would actually have to pull his wand in front of Muggles, the man seemed to scent the air for a moment before turning and staring directly at him.

"Well, well. Remus Lupin." The way Severus drawled Remus' name reminded him of the years of antagonism that stood between them, but strangely enough, this time it wasn't spoken with scorn. Remus' mind was still reeling from the realization of who stood before him and in his periphery he realized that the women around him were staring with half-incredulous, half-jealous expressions.

Remus felt tense as Severus' gaze raked over him, even though his Occlumency shields were at full strength. One could never be too careful, especially with the way Severus' eyes seemed to glitter. He nodded carefully as he moved down the bar and further away from the throng. It wouldn't do to make a scene, not yet. "Severus."

"Any particular reason you're here, Lupin?" Spoken casually but dangerously, Remus noted.

"I'd like a Dark Prince."

For a moment, Severus simply stared at Remus in disbelief, although anger quickly coloured his features. "Dark Prince, indeed," he snarled through clenched teeth.

"Yes. A St. Austell’s Dark Prince," Remus said mildly. "It's a nice dark beer. Do you have that one?"

Severus blinked rapidly for a moment before he caught himself, and although he didn't exactly look hostile, he also didn't drop his guard.

"Yes, we do," he said in a clipped voice. "I'll just be a moment."

Severus bent over and reached under the bar, and Remus knew from the breathy chorus of sighs at the end of the bar that the women there had just caught another good look at Severus' leather-clad arse. Ah well, the price of patronage.

Remus smiled and paid for his beer. Their hands brushed accidentally, and the contact made Severus jump just a little. Remus' pulse fluttered uncomfortably at his own throat at how careless he'd been as Severus shot Remus a look.

Before Remus could initiate any further conversation, Severus was called away to attend to other patrons and went back to mixing and dispensing drinks. Every once in a while Remus would feel the weight of his stare and notice him looking in Remus' direction, even though his glance seemed expertly calculated to appear as though he was scanning the crowd for orders. Remus sat by himself and looked around at the crowd, at the bar and the people behind it, getting his first impressions of all the goings-on that night.

Roughly an hour later he noticed that Severus had taken a break and now leaned against the shelves in a dark alcove. Remus had ordered another Dark Prince from another bartender – a man named Geoffrey – and had nursed it for quite a while. He had spoken with one or two people, but not for long, and it was polite chat rather than any interesting conversation. Now, Remus watched as Severus took a long drink, appreciating the way his neck stretched and his throat worked as he swallowed. Remus' imagination gave him flashes of another scenario with that neck stretched and supple, that throat swallowing over and over again, dark eyes looking up at him… Remus snapped his mind back to attention in time to notice Severus' eyes locked onto him. A shiver of excitement ran up his spine, but he threw it off and smiled as Severus pushed off from the wall and walked over to where Remus sat at the corner of the bar.

"Why are you really here, Lupin? I certainly don't remember you being a  _social animal_ , and don't tell me that you've suddenly developed a penchant for this type of nightlife."

Remus gritted his teeth at that thinly-veiled insult.  _Not now, not now. This is **not**  the time._

"The crowd is really vibrant and you have great beer," he said in what he felt was an offhand manner. "I'll be back."

Severus nodded sharply, and Remus found it decidedly odd that he didn't snarl. For Severus Snape, that was as good as a smile.

~~*~~

Remus Lupin stretched out on his couch and rubbed his bare feet against the grain of the fabric as he mulled over the details of his latest assignment.

Harry had grown into his position as the head of the Auror Department at the Ministry. It thrived under his leadership and he was making great headway in the final-rounding up of Death Eaters and other supporters of Voldemort. Remus hadn't known about the bar until the day he had visited Harry's office and been given this assignment.

"Hello, Remus. Come in, please."

Remus had waited until Harry closed the door before they shared a hug. It was one of the only things he'd seen about Harry that still reminded him of the young third-year student he'd first known, and it always made Remus a little proud and not a little bit sad that he was the only one of James and Lily's friends who could ever receive a hug from their son. Harry had grown into a fine young man, well respected by his peers and subordinates, and Remus had beamed as Harry waved him towards a couple of armchairs.

"Remus," Harry began without preamble. "I have something I'd like you to look into for me, as a personal favour."

Remus had understood immediately and nodded. The Ministry wasn't going to be involved in this at all.

"What do you need?"

"I'm part-owner of a bar in Muggle London called 'Elixir'. I have just received some information about several people who have fallen ill in the past couple of weeks."

Remus had been confused as to just why Harry and the Aurors were being bothered with Muggles and it must have showed on his face.

"The problem is that everyone who has been affected was female and had been at the bar a few days prior to the onset of their symptoms. That's the common factor among them all, and there might be suspicious activity going on there."

"What sort of suspicious activity?"

"We're not sure."

"So why aren't the Muggle police carrying out their investigations? Surely they would be the ones to get involved?"

Harry sighed and shook his head.

"I need this kept under wraps for a little while so that we can rule out any magical involvement. I've been in touch with the head of the Muggle Police Department in London, and he's promised to give me a little leeway."

Remus had been sceptical.  _Why would there be any magical involvement at a Muggle bar?_  "Just how was he made to promise that?"

Harry had the decency to look abashed. "Let's not split hairs, Remus. I need this done and done quickly. I can't get involved with the investigation either, so that leaves my people out. I trust you to handle it with a minimum of fuss. Are we good?"

Remus had studied Harry's earnest expression carefully for a moment, and he knew that cemented beneath it there was a driving determination to make things happen. It was how he'd managed to turn the Ministry around in such a short time. Definitely Lily Potter's son.

"I'll do it, Harry."

Harry had breathed a short sigh of relief then. "I'll need you to liaise with George, though. I can't have you in and out of here while the bar is under any type of inquiry. He has a file for you, and I guess the sooner you start the better."

Remus had nodded and stood, gripping Harry's hand in a firm shake before departing.

~~*~~

George Weasley had grinned at Remus before ushering him through the store and into a back room at the joke shop. After closing and warding the door, he had handed Remus a large envelope with several sheets of parchment detailing what information they possessed about the bar, the workers, patrons, deliveries, and any other remotely-related topic. Half an hour of reading later, Remus had realized that there wasn't any concrete evidence of any kind to go on. At most, they had a few comments and hushed whispers about people getting sick. Remus noted that alcohol poisoning was listed as a probable cause.

Essentially, Remus had thought that he would just have to visit the bar and wait to see what came up.

~~*~~

Remus stormed into the back room of Wheezes and barely stopped himself from slamming George's office door closed.

"How could you not tell me?"

George was surprisingly quick on the uptake. "Harry said you weren't to know anything – that you were to go in and make your own observations."

"But Severus Snape? Good Merlin, even  _you_  can understand that I should have been told."

"Harry didn't see it that way."

"Get him on the Floo."

"Remus, he's…"

"GEORGE WEASLEY! Do not make me call your mother!"

"Blimey, you  _sound_  like my mother." George gave Remus an extravagant look of mock-horror, but Remus was too annoyed to pay him much heed.

"Just do it."

George threw some powder into the grate and the flames turned to a deep blue for a few moments before resuming their familiar bright green hue. Remus eyed the small box in George's hand.

"Blue flames?"

"It's a new product I'm working on to create a secure two-way connection between fireplaces. It's a sort of 'call back' feature that allows the person on the other end to have their head in our fireplace. It's more secure that way and it also prevents anyone breaking in on the connection from other fireplaces across the network."

After a few seconds, Harry's head appeared.

"George, is this secure?"

"As secure I can make it."

"The powder?"

"Yes. Just a pinch."

"How long?"

"Three minutes tops. There could be tracking spells on these things, even from your office."

Harry nodded grimly. "I can't talk long anyway; I've a meeting here shortly."

Remus pushed his way next to George. "Why was I sent to that bar, Harry?"

"We've been through this, Remus. Women have been turning up sick a couple days after visiting the place."

"Harry, why didn't you tell me?" Remus tried to put a damper on his anger and surprise.

"I just did."

"Not that. About Severus."

Harry sighed. "Remus, this isn't about personal feelings..."

George made an odd sort of mock-gagging sound at that, and both Remus and Harry glared at him.

"Look, it's not my feelings about Severus that will compromise this investigation, it's that I'm not fully prepared going in, and that can only lead to trouble, Harry. You of all people should know that."

"Okay, Remus, you're right. You should have been told, but I thought that you wouldn't want to take the case."

"And now? What, so I have no choice?"

"You always have a choice. Say no, and I'll send someone else in. I just – look, I just don't want to think that it's Severus, but I needed someone who knows about him, knows his tendencies and above all is discreet. Anyone else would have Severus locked up without giving it a second thought. He isn’t the most popular of wizards, after all."

George snorted. "And of course, the fact that you want his arse will always help!"

"What?"

"The way I hear it, you stuck up for the git more than a few times in Order meetings. One might almost think you were in love!"

"GEORGE!"

"Sorry!" Privately, Remus thought that George looked anything but, especially as he graced them both with an irreverent grin before continuing. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Harry; you know it's true! Remus has an aptitude for controlling things dark and mysterious."

Remus looked at George reprovingly. "We were classmates for seven years, George, and that entails a lot of history, both good and bad. Severus hasn't had an easy life, and there's a lot you don't know."

George fidgeted. Harry cleared his throat pointedly.

Remus sighed.  _Oh, fine. I'm as good as committed anyway._  "All right Harry, I'll do it."

"Excellent. Thanks, Remus. George." Harry nodded his farewells and then his head disappeared with a gentle  _Pop!_.

~~*~~

The following afternoon, Remus had the opportunity to properly examine the layout and décor of the place. The floor was laid with black glass tiles that glittered with the reflection of every light source, and even in the full light of day, they gave the impression of movement. Remus also liked the way the seating area was set apart from the main drinking area, partly separated by a low wall but still close enough that it felt a part of the whole. The groups of tables and chairs afforded people the chance to mingle or socialize while they ate, and there were also some taller tables used mainly for standing around and ogling the women in skirts at the bar.

Remus felt a bit smug, really, as he sat at the long wooden bar. He had spoken with Severus last night; had leaned up against this very bar for over an hour and the man hadn't been unusually antagonistic. Remus permitted himself a wry smile – although there hadn't been outward hostilities, he suspected that this wasn't going to be a smooth journey. He shrugged his shoulders to ease the tension out of them as he felt his muscles set into a sort of pre-battle readiness. Severus would be a complication, but not necessarily a negative one. He flexed his fingers and took a deep, steadying breath as Severus turned. Black eyes glittered for a few moments before the other man seemed to come to a decision.

"Twice in two days, Lupin," he drawled. "You  _are_  a bit of a dark horse, aren't you?"

Remus fleetingly wondered whether there was an insult attached to that statement, but the thought was pushed aside as Severus spoke again. "What can I get you?"

"I didn't come here for a drink, Severus. I rather liked the atmosphere last night and I wanted to see it in the light of day."

"Why so interested, Lupin? Planning to open a bar of your own and give us some competition?"

Severus' tone was mocking, but not overly so, and Remus was surprised to find that he rather enjoyed this sarcastic-yet-amusing Severus. The war did indeed change people, and in Severus' case it was for the better. Severus seemed to study Remus carefully for a few moments before turning.

"I'll be back in a moment, Lupin. Don't go anywhere."

Remus wondered just where Severus expected him to go, and he chatted for a few minutes with another bartender, a very pleasant and attractive young lady named Luann. She was young and engaging and had a ready smile, and Remus was very comfortable talking with her. Severus soon returned bearing a steaming goblet and a strange glint in his eyes. Remus was instantly suspicious.

"Here. Drink this."

Remus eyed the bubbling and smoking brew and snorted in disbelief. "I'm not drinking that."

Severus sighed extravagantly. "Let's say we bury the hatchet, Lupin. The war is over and we've both come through it alive, which is nothing short of a miracle."

"Of course, provided the hatchet isn't buried in my back, Severus."

Severus grin appeared to be more gnashing of teeth than an actual smile, and Remus was still highly doubtful. He eyed the drink warily. "It looks ghastly. What is it?"

"Wolfsbane."

Remus clenched his jaw and tried his best not to growl in anger. Severus was  _deliberately_  baiting him... "Is this some sort of joke?" he hissed.

"Wolfsbane – the cocktail, not the brew. It's infinitely better tasting than the original, although much less efficacious at the full moon."

"What's in it?"

"Lupin, just drink the thing. If I'd wanted to poison you I would have done so last night."

Remus took a tentative sniff. Coffee, and perhaps some rum… He sipped gently and almost moaned in surprise as the delightful taste slid down his throat.

"Mmm! Oh, yes, this is definitely better tasting." Remus took another bigger sip and relished the harmony of flavours on his tongue. He glanced around, his gaze taking in the bar, the adjoining lounge and eating area, and Severus. "So what's the story with you and this place? How did you end up here?"

Severus gave him a sceptical look. "Don't play coy, Lupin, it doesn't suit you. It's my bar. Well, mine and Potter's. I saved his arse; he saved the world; we opened a bar."

"Really?"

"Is it so hard for a bleeding-heart Gryffindor to think that I might have been on your side after all?"

"I didn't mean anything like that Severus. It's – I'm just surprised, that's all."

Remus frowned, still annoyed that Harry had left such a major and important fact out of his briefing. With all the work he'd done for Harry, he'd thought they were really close. Severus looked rather bemused for a few moments and then thrust a sheet of paper into his hand. "Here. Have a look at that; it's our Signature Drinks list. We also serve the usual beer and spirits."

"A  _Whomping Willow?_ " Remus asked incredulously.

"Yes, I thought you might like that one. It hits you for six and you're out until the morning – renders a person insensate if they drink more than two."

"Heir Apparent?"

"Made with green Crème de Menthe rather than clear. My own personal nod to Slytherin."

Remus huffed in amusement. "A Pensieve?"

"That one could be a bit dangerous, really. It has Absinthe in it."

" _Absinthe?_  But that's…" Remus began incredulously, but Severus cut him off immediately.

"Not the toxic quality used in Potions," he hissed, coming close enough for Remus to smell his cologne (and a part of his brain wondered that Severus even  _used_  cologne). "I've refined it further so that the taste remains but the chance of kidney damage is greatly reduced."

"Reduced, Severus?"

"It's practically non-existent."

"No chance for… say… Living Death?" Remus chuckled at Severus' surprised expression. "I wasn't complete bollocks at Potions, you know."

Severus' face was solemn for a moment, and for a fraction of a second his gaze was far away. "No. No, you weren't."

Remus smiled and continued to peruse the list.

"A Screaming Snorkack?"

Severus nodded. "It's the shot of cinnamon that's the real kicker."

" _Cinnamon?_  What else is in it?"

"House secret. Besides, there's a password that goes with it."

"What do you mean?"

"In order to purchase the drink, one must articulate the correct password."

"Which is?"

"Can't tell you. You'll have to figure it out."

"And just how do I do that?" Remus briefly considered a spot of Legilimency but quickly discarded it, considering exactly with whom he was dealing.

"Ask around," Severus replied with an almost-evil smile.

Remus didn't enjoy being played for a fool. "Perhaps you should just  _tell me,_ " he said forcefully, trying for authoritative without sounding obviously demanding.

Was that a tiny shift in posture that presented a slightly deferential tilt to Severus' shoulders? So slight, but Remus still recognised a tendency when he saw one, and he considered that this assignment had just become more interesting.

~~*~~

A few nights later found Remus sitting in the corner of the bar observing the audience in the Viewing Gallery follow Severus' every move. The five-foot length of the bar was a heavily contested area which afforded the best view of the layout and, more importantly, the best view of Severus' arse.

Night after night, willing patrons would line up at the bar to ogle Severus' arse and lick their lips as they no doubt imagined doing all manner of things to him. Yes, they wanted him, and Remus could tell that Severus knew enough to keep his patrons happy, to a point. He let them look, let them dream, let them press desperately against the bar and order his drinks, but he never lingered too long or let his hands touch theirs. He seemed to keep them wanting more, always more.

Remus could appreciate beauty in all its forms, and there were certainly enough attractive women (and men) at the bar to keep his interest, but still his main focus remained Severus. They chatted amiably enough, and he'd even started to feel a sort of ease around Severus, but he was still mystified by the way women reacted to him.

Well, not 'mystified' exactly, because Severus was more than attractive enough in his own way, just not conventionally so. Still, Remus was amused that every night the Viewing Gallery filled up quickly and remained 'fully stocked' for the night.

Even now, fairly early on a Thursday night, the gallery was packed to capacity and Remus shared a smile with Geoffrey who was both friendly and talkative.

"So what exactly is it that encourages the fan following?"

Geoffrey looked surprised. "What, you mean you don't see it? That Severus is a right sexy bastard, especially with that voice. Not that I'd be interested or anything!"

"No, of course not," Remus agreed quickly, just to keep him talking.

"Besides," Geoffrey continued, "the women just eat that sort of thing up. He always seems to be very selective, too. There are so many women, more than enough to go around, you know?" Remus thought he detected a hint of something in Geoffrey's tone, but he was so surprised by his own feelings of jealousy that he missed some of what the man was saying. "… and they throw themselves at him, but I've only ever seen him pick one at a time, and it's always one of the best looking ones. He takes 'em in the back and who knows what he does with them there. In fact, hmm, lately he's been spending long stretches of time with them, and that's different." He held up his hands in surrender at Remus' incredulous look. "Now, I'm not saying anything  _does_  go on there, I'm just sayin' that there's a pattern, is all."

Patterns.  _Yes_ , Remus snarled to himself.  _I'd noticed that._

Remus was about to question Geoffrey further when a singularly attractive woman approached the bar.  _Prowled_  was more like it, actually, Remus supposed, and it set his teeth on edge as his inner animal sat up and took notice. His gaze followed the long lines of her stocking-clad legs up to a very short skirt, but the hair on his arms prickled at the way she approached Severus with heat in her eyes. He watched intently through narrowed eyes as she stared blatantly at the bulge in Severus' trousers, licked her lips and then ordered a Screaming Orgasm.

Remus was taken aback by her forthright manner, but he was even more surprised when Severus mixed her drink, handed it to her, and then promptly excused himself.

"I'm taking a break, Geoffrey. Do try not to let Lupin touch anything." He didn't even attempt to hide his amusement and actually  _winked_  at Remus as he left!

Remus was too surprised to say or do anything, and he watched in disbelief as Severus led the woman through a door at the back of the bar. Remus could just see the entrance to what looked like a narrow passage before the door closed gently behind them, and he was left to crunch his beer nuts savagely and ponder just why his stomach roiled with something that felt suspiciously like jealousy.

~~*~~

It seemed to happen every Thursday.

A couple of weeks went by, and Remus soon became adept at picking out which women would order that drink and go through to the back with Severus. They were always good-looking, fashionably dressed, and they moved with utter confidence. They also always did and said much the same thing. Remus mightn't have minded all that much if they didn't ogle Severus' cock quite so much.

Another woman approached the bar and Remus' warning bells went off.  _Here she comes_ , he thought, and his heart beat a bit faster as he made a rapid excuse to Geoffrey about a visit to the loo. Mercifully, he was able to avoid the whole cock-staring, lip-licking routine, and he pottered around in the loo until he heard the movement of bodies past the door. He cracked open the door and was just able to see Severus' back before the lounge door blocked his view as it swung shut. Unashamed, Remus pressed his ear to the door and heard Severus' muffled voice in what sounded like amusement.

"Shall we get started then?"

~~*~~

"A woman, you say?" George seemed both suspicious and titillated by Remus' news, what little there was of it.

"Well, not 'a' woman, actually.  _Women._  There are five regulars, although I don't know their names."

" _Really?_ " George raised an eyebrow in a parody of Severus' well-known expression. "Who would have thought that old Snape would have a working trouser snake after all? Quite the Slytherin, eh?" His face fell when he saw Remus' expression. "Oh, sorry, Remus. Perhaps this requires further study. Go back there. Talk to people."

This undercover stuff was getting old, and how was Remus supposed to get in the back room when he couldn't make it past the bar?

~~*~~

A few weeks later, as Remus and George were going over some recent information, the grate roared to life. Blue flames burned brightly for a moment and were then replaced by the familiar green, quickly followed by Harry's head and shoulders.

"George! Remus! Good to see that you're both here. Can I come through?"

"Sure, Harry. All's clear."

Harry wasted no time and brushed the soot from his robes as he continued speaking.

"We have just received intelligence that something's going down at the bar, Remus. There's more to this situation than meets the eye. Remus, what do Severus' women all have in common? What do they do? Why does he choose  _those_  women in particular, and why do they get through when so many others fail?"

Remus groaned inwardly as his stomach clenched. For some reason, he really didn't like thinking about their obvious come-ons and Severus' quiet yet willing acceptance, but business was business, after all.

"The scenario is pretty much this: they approach the bar, look him up and down, stare very specifically at his groin area and then order a drink."

"Any drink in particular?"

"A Screaming Orgasm."

Harry had the grace to take that information with a straight face, but Remus could tell that it was difficult for him. He sighed. "Oh, go on. Laugh at it. I suppose in some way it  _is_  funny."

Harry's eyes watered with the effort of keeping in his laughter. "I’m sorry, Remus," he tried, wiping the tears of mirth away. "But you have to admit, that is bloody funny."

Remus smiled despite himself. "Yes, I suppose so. Now that we've all enjoyed a good laugh at my expense – no, it's all right, really – we need to figure out just what this all means."

"What's in that drink?"

"I'm no bartender, but I've seen him mix it enough times. There's vodka for sure, coffee liqueur and Baileys. It's relatively easy to do."

Harry and George looked at each other. "That doesn't sound too complicated or dangerous. Is there anything else in it?"

"No, just served over ice."

"Remus, I have a very bad feeling about the bar. Preliminary blood tests from the affected women show high levels of thujone in their blood."

"Thujone? Why does that sound familiar? That's a poison, isn't it?"

"It's been known to cause epileptic reactions."

"And hallucinations," George added.

"It's found in a number of plants, including wormwood."

A sudden shock of cold flooded Remus. Wormwood. Absinthe. Toxic.  _Severus._

He looked quickly at Harry and without speaking he could tell they were both on the same page.

Remus thought hard. No, Severus had specifically told him that the absinthe had been refined down to an extremely low dose of toxicity. Surely they had developed enough of a friendship that Severus wouldn't mislead him that way?

_Now, Remus, stop personalising this and examine the facts as you know them._

Fact: Severus had admitted to serving Absinthe in drinks although not at toxic levels.

Fact: Severus had access to wormwood and its component parts.

Fact: At least one of the women who had been affected by the overdose was known to Severus and had been seen in his company days before she was hospitalised.

Severus had been too good a spy to draw attention to himself, and he certainly would never have volunteered anything about Absinthe if he was involved in anything wrong to begin with. Still, Remus had a niggling doubt in his mind that prevented him from being one hundred percent certain.

"Remus?" Harry's voice betrayed his concern, and Remus paused to consider the implications for Harry in all of this.

"Harry, I can't say that he definitely isn't involved, but I can't imagine why he would put himself in that situation, especially after everything. The war, his survival, this bar… I-I just don't know why he would do it, if he  _did_  do it. Give me some time?"

Harry nodded to George who conjured what looked like a Muggle egg-timer and set it.

"You have one hour. Move quickly, Remus. I really, really want you to handle this, but as soon as Kingsley hears about it he'll order me to get it taken care of, and I won't be able to keep my Aurors out."

Remus nodded sharply and Apparated to London.

~~*~~

Remus burst through the doors of Elixir and pushed through the crowd, noticing that Geoffrey was the only person behind the bar. No sign of Severus made Remus instantly wary.

"Where's Severus?"

"Oh, hello, Remus. He's just gone into the back with  _another_  one." Geoffrey's raised eyebrows and pursed lips spoke volumes about what he thought of that scenario.

"Let me through," Remus said as he ducked under the opening at the very end of the bar, but Geoffrey stepped up to block him.

"Remus, you can't just…"

"Geoffrey, I  _need_  you to let. Me. Through." He didn't need to Legilimize the man to see and feel the fear in him. Remus  _felt_  threatening and he knew that to Geoffrey he would have come across doubly so.

"Y-Yes, of course. Go ahead…" Geoffrey stammered anxiously as Remus pushed past him and ran through the hallway towards the back room, his mind whirling in a thousand different directions. He didn't know what he was feeling or what he would say to Severus when he found him, but he was anxious and he had to see him, sit him down and get to the bottom of things, ask him about the women, and about the drinks, and …

He burst through the door, his heart pounding with adrenaline, Severus' name on his lips, and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

Severus was naked and curled over the body of a woman who was tied to a large, low table and wearing nothing except a black leather harness strapped around her waist. Severus' head was bowed and his face was down over her pelvic area. Remus' first flash of thought was that Severus was in pain or in some sort of difficulty, but he barely had time to process that information when he realized that Severus' mouth was wrapped around a large artificial cock that protruded from the woman's harness, and Remus' eyes seemed to hone in on that very area and fixate on Severus' mouth and cheeks as they hollowed from the effort of  _sucking_.

"No, Severus," a woman was saying in a calm teaching voice. "You have a cock of your own; you should know to pay a bit more mind to the head. Try again."

But it was too late to change anything. Remus had seen it, he had seen  _all of this_ , and he didn't know how to process it or what to respond to first. He was almost overwhelmed by the surge of protectiveness and possessiveness that swept over him and he felt as though he wanted to growl. He glanced around the room, desperately hoping to grasp onto something that made sense, and he spied two empty potions vials on the ground next to the table. Suddenly able to move, he dashed across and picked them up as Severus sat up and glared at him.

"Lupin, what in Merlin's name…" he spluttered, sitting back on his heels and wiping his spit-shiny mouth with the back of his hand.

"Have you been supplying Absinthe to women?" Remus demanded, shaking the vials in his hands and trying to ignore how erotic the action of Severus wiping his mouth had been.

Severus' entire expression hardened into granite.

"I think you should leave, Lupin," he said slowly and carefully. "This is  _not_  the time…"

"This is very much the time and you  _will_ answer me."

The two men stared at each other and tension filled the air for long moments until Severus's gaze flickered ever so subtly downward. Without uttering a word, he unbound the young woman from the table. She sat up and rubbed her wrists gently for a moment before rising in a single, fluid, cat-like movement and proceeding to remove the harness from around her waist. Remus averted his gaze while Severus handed her a robe, which she donned and then walked into the loo with barely a backward glance. As the door clicked shut, the only sounds in the room were Remus' breathing and the rustle of cloth as Severus threw another robe over himself.

"You'd better explain this, Lupin."

"Oh, I don't think  _I'm_  the one who needs to explain things, Severus. Perhaps you're unaware of a series of incidents involving epileptic seizures, thujone and this place, and I don't even want to know what you were doing with her." Remus waved his hand jerkily in the general direction of the loo.

"What I do and with whom I do it is absolutely none of your bloody business!"

"No? Then perhaps I shouldn't bother to tell you that you are about five minutes away from being arrested by Aurors for your involvement with these women! Surely I don't have to remind you of the long list of people who would want to see you locked up or worse…"

Severus' face fell, and his skin turned ashen as he sank slowly onto the table. "And you, Lupin? Are you at the head of that list?"

Remus shivered involuntarily as the memories of what he'd first seen flashed through his mind, but he pushed them aside as he shook his head. "You don't know anything about me, Severus, but that's not important now. Care to explain? I'm more than willing to hear your side of things."

Severus wiped his face with the edge of his robe in a decidedly un-Severus-like manner, and for a moment, Remus wondered exactly what dwelt beneath that hard exterior.

"May we allow the young lady to depart before we get into the story?" Severus said in a low voice. "I'd rather not have to Obliviate anyone."

"Of course," Remus said graciously, and, as though on cue, the lady in question appeared. She shot Severus a sympathetic glance and then a calculating one at Remus before nodding and departing via the main entrance. Remus waited until the door had closed before turning back to the man before him.

"I brew potions, Lupin," Severus began without preamble. "Privately. I supply some specialty potions to certain people in exchange for certain…information."

Remus sighed. "Severus, it's been a long day. Can we dispense with all the secret agent shite? Just tell me what I need to know?"

" _Need to know,_  Lupin?" Severus growled dangerously. "I hardly think it's anything  _you_  need to know, but because you're in a position of power over me, I feel I have no choice. How bloody typical that I should bow and scrape at the hem of Gryffindor robes yet again."

If only Severus knew just what those words and the images they invoked did to Remus' cock – oh, Merlin! Why did the anger and irascible nature of this man prove to be such an incredible turn-on?

"I was always under the impression that Riddle was Slytherin through and through. I would have thought that a change of colour would be refreshing."

Severus' expression quickly turned murderous, and Remus stopped himself from baiting the already-angry man any further. "Come now, Severus, there are always choices, perhaps just not always the ones we wish we had. Go on."

"That young woman is a high-class prostitute," Severus growled. "I brew contraceptive and protective potions for her and four of her friends. They are very selective in their clientele and are sworn to secrecy about our deal. Any breach of the contract will result in termination of my supply."

Remus nodded. That wasn't so difficult to believe, and he had no reason to doubt Severus' logic. After all, the young woman  _did_  seem very comfortable walking around in her altogether.

"And your price? I assume you're not doing this for purely altruistic reasons."

Severus' eye twitched. Twice. Remus couldn't remember the man ever twitching before.

"My price is education."

"Education? Dare I ask what sort of education a man such as yourself might want or need?"

"I believe you barged in on a lesson this very evening."

"I… You… that was a  _lesson?_ " Remus was utterly gobsmacked. "In  _what?_  How to suck cock?"

Severus flushed. It wasn't a good colour on him. "Crudely and succinctly put, Lupin, but yes."

Remus had to take stock. "So… what you're saying… what you're  _telling_  me is that you brew contraceptive and protective potions for whores in exchange for lessons in fellatio."

"Among other things."

"I… I just don't know what to say."

"Imagine my surprise."

"Do I even want to know why?"

"I would hope not, but I imagine that you will pursue this line of questioning to its logical if ill-advised conclusion."

Remus clenched his jaw. It constantly amazed him how Severus could maintain an air of haughty indignation even in the face of embarrassment or wrong-doing. "Indulge me."

"These women are professionals and considered to be among the best in the business. Therefore I reasoned that their expertise would serve me well, if you must know."

Remus didn't think he could have been any more surprised than he had been upon first encountering Severus and the woman  _in flagrante_ , but this was right up there.

"Correct me if I’m wrong, Severus, but women rarely have cocks."

"As much as it pains me, you are not wrong, Lupin. I didn't specify whose pleasure I was providing."

Remus gaped.

"Were you always this slow to understand, Lupin? I enlist the help of those women in order to better understand how to pleasure a man properly. That is the trade-off."

_A man? But all this time Severus had been getting hard for the women. Surely? Remus had SEEN the outline of his cock straining against tight trousers…"_

Remus cleared his throat. "H-How do you explain the incidents of thujone poisoning in those women?"

"In the first place, one cannot be poisoned by thujone; it simply increases the likelihood of epileptic seizures in those so inclined, and it also is a mild hallucinogenic. Although I do not have all the information, I suspect that those women are suffering from alcohol poisoning moreso than any other substance abuse. I realise that you didn't take Advanced Potion Making, Lupin, but surely even you could have figured that out?"

"Severus, you told me that the Absinthe you serve is well below the toxic levels. I don't want to doubt you, but how else can you explain the coincidence?"

"I cannot."

"Who else has access to the contents of the inventory?"

"Everyone behind the bar, but only I have access to the Absinthe."

"Get me the roster of who worked when."

"Just ask what you want to know," he raged, clearly over his earlier embarrassment. "You want to know whether I knowingly gave a controlled substance to patrons of this bar,  _MY_  bar."

"The roster, Severus. We are entirely too close to having Aurors or the Muggle police come down on this place with a very heavy hand. Harry has done his best to keep things low-key, but make no mistake; this could get very awkward  _very_  quickly."

Severus retrieved a sheet of paper from his desk and thrust it at Remus without another word. Remus was privately surprised and not a little pleased that the other man acquiesced to his demand so easily, even though his mannerisms were rather forceful.

A quick scan through the previous weeks revealed that both Severus and Geoffrey had been working on the nights in question.

"Do you want to Legilimize me?" Severus growled. "Will you have to procure Veritaserum from the Ministry before you finally believe me, Lupin? Is my word worth nothing?"

"Severus…"

"Do whatever you must, Lupin, but leave these premises before I have you thrown out."

"You have no authority…"

Severus whirled around as though he'd been thrown out of Apparation. "I have EVERY  _RIGHT_  to have you thrown out of here.  _You_  are the one with no authority and you have the audacity to cast aspersions against my name?" Severus was definitely on a tear. "Has it not been sullied enough? Have I not given enough to  _the cause_  to be left in peace? Do I not deserve the benefit of the doubt?"

Spittle flew from the corner of Severus' mouth during his diatribe and he paused to wipe it away with his hand. Again, unbidden, another image of Severus straddling that woman in the room flashed across Remus' mind and with the adrenaline and elevated heart rate of his argument with Severus, Remus couldn't help but notice that he was hard. He tried to think of something unattractive –  _Hagrid naked on a cold day, Hagrid naked on a cold day_  – which helped only somewhat.

Finally, Remus had had too much, and the ranting Slytherin git before him wouldn't listen to calm reason. It was time to change his tactics, and he rapidly stepped up towards Severus until they stood chest to chest.

"I am trying to HELP YOU, Severus, in spite of yourself. Now stop and think for a moment. If it wasn't you—" Remus held up both hands to stop Severus' pending interruption. "If it  _wasn't_  you, then help me to find the culprit. I for one don't wish to see you Kissed."

Severus' wild rage dissipated and he glanced furtively at Remus who tried not to show his physical reaction to the word 'kiss'. Happy to have at least stopped the tirade, Remus handed the schedule back to Severus who studied it carefully for a moment.

"Sometimes I am away from the bar, either on a break or… well, you know what." Remus nodded, feeling oddly embarrassed yet still aroused at the same time. He knew it was because of what he  _wanted…_

Severus interrupted Remus' musings with an angry noise, and before Remus could do more than snap his attention back to the matter at hand, Severus was already stalking towards the door, shaking his head and shouting. "That thrice-damned boy! WHY would he do this? What on earth would possess him…?"

"Severus!" Remus called, trying to at least halt the flow of raw power and anger that swept along with the irate man. Severus whirled to face him and in Remus' mind's eye he imagined he saw the swirl of robes and cloak.

"Severus," he tried again. "Who? Explain it to me."

"Geoffrey," Severus bit out, and damn if Remus didn't privately enjoy the biting, snarling way he'd said it. "That bastard. I  _trusted_  him, and you  _know_  how I am with trust, Lupin.

Remus nodded mutely as Severus stalked back and forth muttering to himself, the piece of paper still clenched tightly in his fist.

"When?  _When_  could he have done it?"

"Done what, Severus?"

Severus finally halted his movements and took a breath. "The Absinthe is purchased in its pure form and stored in a special, light-proof container of my own design to ensure that the properties of the mixture aren't affected or contaminated by light and ultra-violet light."

Remus nodded.

"When needed, I decant a little of it at a time and distil it so that the toxic and hallucinogenic portions evaporate and are thereby removed. It's relatively safe if a bit time-consuming."

"What happens to the distillate?"

"It runs through a small condenser and is collected in another smaller container."

"What do you do with that?"

"Flush it down the toilet, Lupin."

"And so Geoffrey?"

" _Geoffrey_ ," Severus snarled the name, "may well have had cause to use the loo while I was attempting to dispose of the harmful liquid. In fact, I may have left the distillate on a small shelf while I waited for the loo to become available." Severus held his head in his hands.

"Severus, why would you do something like that?"

"And then,  _just_  then, one of the young ladies arrived." Severus looked up and frowned at Remus' expression of disbelief. "I am human, Lupin. When intent on imminent sexual congress, even I can be excused for being imperfect."

Remus tried to convince himself that the 'human' remark didn't anger him, but he failed. "You are far from perfect, Severus, as are we all," he said harshly. "The question remains, how can you be certain that Geoffrey had anything to do with it?"

"I cannot – not now, but I will  _Crucio_  him half to death and I'm sure he'll divulge all that and more!"

"You will do no such thing! It's bad enough that the Aurors are probably a hair's breadth away from being called in, but to use an Unforgivable on a Muggle…" Remus shuddered, remembering all too well the images of terror and destruction during the wars.

Severus' eyes narrowed and his face twisted in anger. Remus watched in a morbid sort of disbelief as Severus tried to keep his emotions in check but slowly lost the battle, his harsh features becoming a mask of rage. "You think I never reformed – that's it. For all your excuse of friendship, this… this  _ruse_  of compatibility; you still think I'm a bloody Death Eater who wants to be the next Dark Lord, don't you? Say it out loud, you, with all your… _morals_ … and your high ground! Tell me  _exactly_  what you think I am!  _SAY IT, YOU FILTHY CREATURE!_ "

Severus' shouting was so loud that for a moment Remus wondered whether the man had cast a non-verbal  _Sonorus_ , but he soon realized that it was fuelled by rage. He thought that Severus might be a bit mental, truth be told, especially the way he was so quick to fly off the handle, but he also suspected that what Severus needed was a firm hand. He advanced quickly on the irate man and, taking advantage of the element of surprise, grabbed Severus by the front of his shirt and slammed him bodily against the nearest wall where he held him firmly.

"You. Will. Do. No. Such. Thing," he repeated, snarling as he emphasized each word with a twist or shake of his fist. Severus' eyes turned murderous, and although Remus was reasonably confident that he could take Severus in hand-to-hand combat, he couldn't discount the use of wands.

Fortunately, Remus' initial suspicion of Severus' proclivities had proved correct, and after a long moment of mutual heavy breathing and glares, Severus ceased resisting and instead stood with his back firmly planted against the wall. Their bodies were so close that Remus could feel Severus' thighs tense as he locked his knees to stand upright, and he desperately hoped that the other man hadn't felt evidence of his arousal which had returned ten-fold upon the beginning of their argument.

Merlin, but Remus liked it when Severus argued! There was something so primal about him, but it was always held in so rigidly by his self-control. Remus wanted to remove that self-control, peel it back layer by layer or shatter it all at once, but he wanted to get at whatever was behind it.

" _I_  will handle this, Severus. You will take two days off. Immediately."

Severus glared at Remus. "I will not! Just what sort of lunatic do you think I am to abandon the bar just when everything is about to come crashing down?

"You will do what's bloody well necessary to get this resolved without placing yourself in harm's way!" Just then the egg timer in Remus' pocket went  _ping!_  and he pushed away from Severus, quickly casting a non-verbal Silencing Charm just as two Aurors Apparated directly into the room. Wands out, they sprang apart amid shouts of  _"Petrificus Totalus!"_  and  _"Incarcerous!"_   Severus was hit with both spells squarely in the chest, and Remus felt the vibration of anger coming off of the man as the spells held the angry set of his body and his glare in full force. Remus mentally shook his head; he couldn't let that detract him from his course of action.

"I'm sorry, Severus," he said softly as he slid the long, ebony wand out of Severus' trouser pocket, "but I'll need your wand." He dropped his voice lower so that Severus alone would hear his words. "Haven't you done enough for the 'cause'? This must be done my way." He turned and nodded in acknowledgement to the closest Auror. "Thank you, gentlemen. Proceed as ordered."

Remus didn't have to look at Severus to know that one shot of wandless magic might have killed him where he stood.  


 

~~*~~

The young lady stalked up to the bar and ran her hands lovingly along the highly polished wood. She licked her lips as she glanced around for a moment before fixing her gaze on Geoffrey.

"Hi," she said breathily. "I was hoping I might order a drink. I was told to look for a slightly older gentleman…"

Geoffrey flushed slightly and leaned closer to her.

"He's not here tonight, but perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

The young lady smiled as her gaze travelled up and down Geoffrey's body before stopping at his groin area. She licked her lips again and leaned in close, whispering in a husky voice, "I'd like a Screaming Orgasm, please."

Geoffrey's hands visibly shook as he reached for a clean glass and the vodka. He hurriedly measured out the clear liquid, then the Baileys and the coffee liqueur. He looked at her carefully. "Would you like that with extra 'Oh!'?"

She smiled and her eyes lit up dangerously. "Oh, yes I believe I would!"

Geoffrey reached into a pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out a small vial. He opened it carefully and poured a couple drops into her drink, before capping it and returning it to his inside pocket. He stirred the completed mixture with a small glass rod and handed it to her with a flourish.

"Thank you," she said, fluttering her eyelashes coyly, and he stepped towards the door, gesturing for her to proceed through.

Once in the hallway he took the lead and opened another door to a small lounge. They both proceeded inside and he closed and locked the door. The young lady tossed her dark brown hair over her shoulder and turned to face him, the drink still in her hand.

"Don't you want to finish that?" he asked as he began to unbutton his shirt.

She placed the drink on a small table as she smiled again, showing a little more tooth this time. "Oh, no," she said, airily, "I believe it's time I finish you."

"Well, you'll have to start me up first, honey," he smirked as he removed his shirt and unbuttoned his trousers.

She advanced on him then, pushing him down onto the couch and grabbing him by the throat in a vice grip. He struggled somewhat before easing back and laughing.

"You  _do_  like things rough, don't you, sweetheart?"

"Oh, things are going to get  _quite_  rough around here, believe me." Her voice started to deepen as she spoke, and her hair shortened as her body grew wider and more muscular and infinitely more male. Geoffrey began moaning in horror and started to struggle again, and the abject fear in his eyes this time wasn't for show.

Remus' grip on Geoffrey's throat tightened as the glamour faded. He cast a strong Imperturbable Charm on the door and Silencing and Binding Spells on Geoffrey in quick succession. Geoffrey's eyes widened in pure terror as Remus rocked against him with his body and brought his mouth right down to Geoffrey's face, his teeth mere inches from his neck.

"Not a sound, do you understand?"

Geoffrey nodded jerkily and Remus slowly eased his grip on the man's neck. He knew that the Silencing Charm would more than hold, but this idiot didn't, and his cooperation would make things go faster and much easier. He slid off Geoffrey and stood before him, noticing the frantic eye movements and the rapid breathing. Good. This should be easy.

Remus backed away from Geoffrey, removing the Silencing Charm as he did and gestured at the glass he'd set down just moments before. "Do you want to tell me about that drink you mixed?"

Geoffrey cleared his throat nervously. "Remus! H-How did you…"

"The drink, boy."

"It's a Screaming Orgasm."

Remus made a show of sniffing the contents of the glass. "So it is. What's the 'extra oh'?"

"Um, I-I don't know what you mean."

In the next second, Remus was crouched over Geoffrey again and calling on his inner werewolf as he growled at the man's neck. He used a small glamour to make his canine teeth appear longer and more pointed than normal, and he made sure to draw back his lips when snarling the command to summon the vial into his hand.

"Try not to be stupid.  _Try_. What's in the vial? Tell me before I make you drink about half of it."

Geoffrey had stiffened at the sight of Remus' teeth, but he came almost completely undone at Remus' threat.

"N-No! It's just… a little something that enhances the alcohol."

"Really." Remus rolled the vial of clear liquid between his thumb and forefinger. "Know what it is?"

"No. I found it on a shelf where Severus distils things and figured it was something for the bar."

"What about asking Severus?"

"For him to ask where I got it in the first place?"

"You could have told him."

"What does it matter? Besides, it seemed harmless enough." Despite his innocent words, Geoffrey's entire demeanour gave Remus the chills.

" _LIAR!_ " Remus shouted right in his face, and Geoffrey flinched as though he'd been slapped.

"N-No, I swear!" he squeaked. "I thought it was some sort of additive…"

"And what would possess you to arbitrarily add it to drinks without knowing what it was and what the effects would be?" Remus badgered him, making sure to click his teeth together loudly as often as possible.

Geoffrey's eyes opened wider, if such a thing was possible. "All right, all right, all RIGHT! Okay? I-I… I know what it is. Not at first, but I tested it, just a drop at first, with my chemistry set at home. It wasn't poison, so I tried a drop in water, and it felt…"

Remus' eyes narrowed and Geoffrey took a shuddering breath.

"It felt nice, okay? There, I said it. I enjoyed it. I was free to do and feel whatever I wanted to."

"And?"

"And one day one of Severus' women came into the bar looking for him. I offered to attend to her but she said she needed Severus' special brew, so, I made one for her and said that it would send her into outer space. She laughed at first, they all do, but after she drank about half of it she started to be nicer to me, you know, and what's not to like about that?"

Remus stepped back from the couch and shook his head in disbelief. "You are without a doubt the most pathetic excuse for a human being that I have ever laid eyes on, and that's saying a lot."

"She ordered another, and another, and I had to put a little bit in each one, you know, just like the first time." Geoffrey was virtually babbling by this time. "She was so wasted by the end of the night and I asked whether I should take her home but she refused. She said she'd get a taxi but she'd be back the following night for some more of my good mixin'. I didn't see her after that."

"You didn't see her because she's in a near-coma from alcohol and thujone poisoning, you utter fool."

"Thujone? What the hell's that?"

" _That_ , my idiot friend, is what you've been adding to her drinks. It's a hallucinogenic and a convulsive neurotoxin. Do you even know what that is?"

"N-No."

"It can cause epileptic seizures which can result in death." Remus let that sink in for several moments as Geoffrey grew more and more pale. Finally, he'd had enough.

"Now, I shall summon Severus and you can explain this to him. After that, we'll get the police and you can tell them what you know."

"Police? Why would we need the police? She's fine, isn't she?"

"Not yet, and believe me, the Mu— the police are the least of your worries."

"What do you mean?"

Remus advanced on the man threateningly. "I've had to physically restrain Severus from hurting you, and believe me; you don't want any part of that." Geoffrey cowered and Remus could understand just how the man felt. An angry Severus Snape was not something to trifle with.

"And one more thing."

Geoffrey merely blinked in terror.

"Are you listening?"

The hapless man only nodded.

"What's the password for the Screaming Snorkack?"

"W-w-what?"

Remus took another menacing step towards him. "You heard me."

"Uh…um. Screaming Snorkack. Uh, you say 'Make me scream' and then wink at him."

Remus smiled; a long, slow smile that probably seemed quite out of context for the situation. "Really."

"Y-yes. That's all."

"If you've given me any wrong information…" Remus let the unspoken threat hang in the air between them, but it was enough to have Geoffrey cower even further.

"N-NO! No! I swear, I've told you everything!"

"Fair enough." Remus paused for a moment as he concentrated on the specifics of what he wanted. It wouldn't do to interfere with too much…

~~*~~

The sound of footsteps on the stairs heralded the arrival of George with several Muggle police officers. They took one look at the tied man and removed him from the premises. Remus knew that he would probably be called in to answer questions, but for now he was exhausted and approaching the end of his rapidly-fraying rope.

George placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Remus, you okay? Did you manage to get what you needed from him?"

Remus smiled and nodded. "I did indeed, George."

"And?"

"And… he won't remember anything of that conversation. He  _will_  remember that he's guilty, though."

George clapped him on the back. "Well done, old man, well done indeed. Now get out of here and get some rest."

Remus felt the pleasure of victory and of a job well done, but there was still the nagging guilt of what he'd discovered about Severus and the way in which he'd reacted to it. He knew that it was long past time to address that particular problem.

"I'll need to make certain that Severus…"

"Don't think on it, Remus. I'll make sure he's released tonight, although I doubt I'll survive the tongue lashing," he added dramatically.

Remus was almost too tired to smile at George's double entendre, but he managed a small huff of amusement. "Thanks, George. I'll see you around. Good night."

"Night!" George called cheerfully from the basement, and Remus barely gave himself enough time to gather his thoughts before he turned and Apparated home.

~~*~~

Almost a week had gone by before Remus felt ready to face Severus again. It wasn't so much about what he'd seen, although that was eye-opening enough, but he'd needed enough time away from the situation to think about what it meant. He'd always thought of Severus as a strong individual, and although being a submissive didn't necessarily imply weakness, somehow, Remus had never been able to think of Severus in such a role. That was one of the main reasons why he'd thought that any kind of relationship between the two of them wouldn't work because they'd both want the same thing: to dominate.

Remus was both relieved and afraid that he'd been wrong. The question was, faced with such a paradigm shift, where did he go from here? There was an odd feeling growing inside him, almost as though he had become more powerful with this knowledge, the very knowledge that had driven him almost to distraction since… well, since that night at the bar. Remus was slightly perturbed that he had become instantly aroused at the sight of Severus in that position, physically on top, yes, but being given instructions and  _obeying_  them.

Remus didn't know what titillated him more: that Severus was willing to give up any modicum of control, or that he had so much invested in learning about the intricacies of fellatio. Remus' own cock stretched in his trousers as the memory of that moment replayed in his mind. Severus with his mouth wrapped around an erect penis. It was too delicious for words. That kind of knowledge gave Remus the upper hand, something that he was sure Severus would despise, and perhaps even despise him  _for_ , but on the other hand, submissive tendencies had always been something that aroused Remus in ways he'd never understood.

To submit didn't mean to lose control; on the contrary, the control was firmly held by the submissive, who would only submit because they  _liked_  it and only for as long as they were willing to. Goosebumps prickled along Remus' arms at the thought, and he smiled with anticipation. Severus would be the perfect sort of submissive too, not a simpering, weak-minded one, but an equal partner in the choice, one with enough fire to keep his Dom always on their game. The thought of caring for and about Severus and his wellbeing, his welfare, and his life was something that Remus had tossed around in his mind for several days and he was no closer to a solution. That, he knew, could only come after he'd spoken to Severus once more.

There was also the matter of the women. That Severus had been aroused by them was obvious; Remus had glanced across often enough to see that the fabric of Severus' trousers was always under a significant strain whenever they appeared and ordered their drinks. Remus could now admit to himself that he had been jealous of them and of the attention they were able to garner from him. Whereas he hadn't expected anything like the real story, still, something didn't make sense. If Severus was indeed attracted to women, why then was he interested in learning how to pleasure men?

Wait! Not 'men'.  _A man!_. Remus remembered Severus' words and his cock took notice of the direction his thoughts were taking. He shifted slightly as he pondered those implications. Obviously Severus had found someone he wanted to be with and was making every effort to learn all that he could in order to properly satisfy that man. Remus ached with a keen sense of loss even though his rational mind was thankful that at least Severus was content.

~~*~~

Remus returned to Elixir about an hour before closing time and leaned against the wall in a dark corner to observe the scene. Severus was holding court behind the bar as he had been the first night, and the Viewing Gallery was still quite full. Remus noticed that Severus and Luann alone were working tonight, so it appeared that Geoffrey had lost more than just a bit of his memory. Remus wondered whether the man had seen Severus before being sacked and shuddered involuntarily, for he knew that Severus wouldn't give that sort of betrayal any slack.

Half an hour later, the crowd had thinned to just a few stragglers, and Severus left the bar with a drink in hand, settling into an alcove away from the prying eyes of the remaining patrons. As Remus made his way around the perimeter of the room, managing to stay out of Severus' field of vision while watching him closely, he still felt a twisting of tension within him as he approached the darkened corner. He glanced at Luann who gave him a brief but seemingly-genuine smile before angling her head in Severus' direction. Remus squared his shoulders and took a breath as he stood in front of Severus.

Severus' entire body stiffened as he tensed upon seeing Remus and, although his face remained largely expressionless, Remus thought he could see the emotions roiling in his eyes like a rapidly boiling cauldron. His own heartbeat pounded in his ears with impressive force, and for a long moment neither man said anything as the tension stretched between them, quivering like a long, thin wire.

Remus hesitated for a fraction of a second. He had thought long and hard about what he would do and say to Severus and had played over a thousand scenarios in his mind. Anger. Distrust. Outright hatred. Apathy. Disgust. Remus wasn't willing to have any of those come between them any more. He clenched his jaw and then forced himself to relax as he examined Severus' closed expression for a moment.

Severus arched an eyebrow in a non-verbal expression of challenge as he downed the rest of his drink, and a part of Remus gloried in the thrill and excitement of the chase.

"I'll have a Screaming Snorkack, please."

"Go to hell, Lupin. Besides, I'm on a break."

"Really."

"Yes, and the bar closes in ten minutes. I'd prefer to have your arse out immediately. Avoid the rush and all that."

Oh, but Remus thrilled in Severus' anger! So much passion there, just beneath the surface, so tightly controlled, so yearning for release…

"I'll have that drink first."

Severus stood in a fluid motion and stepped behind the bar, almost as though he needed that physical barrier between them. Remus followed slowly but with as much predatory gait as he could muster. His body virtually  _growled_  with it.

"I think not, Lupin. There's the door." Severus arched an eyebrow and gestured carelessly at the door.

"Oh, no, Severus, you have to do something for me first," Remus said with as much nonchalance as he could muster. He leaned in further and dropped the timbre of his voice so that Severus had to lean in to hear him. "Make me scream."

Severus' other eyebrow joined the first and his surprise was absolute, albeit brief, but soon his lips were once more set into that fine line of anger and annoyance. Remus merely smiled wolfishly and then he winked broadly and obviously, deciding to go balls-to-the-wall with his pursuit.

"I should have you thrown out of here," Severus hissed, trying to simultaneously get close enough to be heard and far enough away to put some distance between them.

"What, for saving your arse?"

" _SAVING?_  my arse?" Severus was almost apoplectic in his indignation as he slammed a shot glass on the bar, and Remus gloried in it. "You had the audacity to bring Aurors here…" his words were punctuated with a healthy dose of what smelled like cinnamon-flavoured alcohol… "to  _this_  bar…" a shaky dose of vodka… "to arrest ME…" some rum added in there too… "while that… that… vermin was allowed to go free." Severus struck a match viciously and swept it over the top of the shot glass, igniting the mixture and casting an odd glow on their faces and hands.

"I would hardly call it 'free', Severus. He got his."

They both stared at the dancing flames for a few seconds before Severus blew on it and extinguished the flames.

"He hardly got enough!" he spat viciously. "There's your fucking Snorkack, Lupin."

"I ordered a  _Screaming_  Snorkack, Severus, surely you remember? The fucking comes later, if I have the sequence of events correct."

Severus' eyes twitched and Remus had to remind himself not to keep baiting Severus this way. If only he didn't  _enjoy_  it so much. "Look, Severus. Can we discuss this somewhere a little more private?"

"I fail to see what we have to 'discuss', Lupin. It seems fairly cut and dried. You accused me of impropriety and you had me arrested while you cavorted around doing who knows what with my staff."

Remus couldn't help but smile at Severus' choice of words, but his own mind was so far in the gutter that it was almost irreparable.

"I seldom cavort, and I haven't done anything remotely pleasurable yet with your, ah…  _staff_." Remus made an obscenely obvious leer at Severus' groin and then speared him with a meaningful gaze, infused with a great deal of authority and domination. Again, he noticed a flicker of recognition and the slightest indication of submission. Severus spoke briefly with Luann, who nodded, and then he angled his head curtly, wordlessly beckoning Remus through to the back room. Severus' face was inscrutable and Remus felt a warm flush of arousal course through his body as he watched the way Severus moved. He waited until the door was closed and locked before he spoke.

"Don't resent me for this, Severus."

"I've had a lifetime of it, Lupin. I dare say I'm an expert."

"I tried to protect you."

"Fine job you did of it."

"Why women, Severus?"

Severus appeared slightly confused at the abrupt change in subject. "I'm sure I don't understand you, Lupin."

"Why did you enlist the help of women when they weren't what you were after?"

"How would you have even the remotest inkling of what I’m after? Those women are singularly talented at pleasuring men, Lupin. I would have thought that the answer was academic."

"Quite so. And how did that work out for you."

"They satisfied a need," he said evasively.

"All that talent and you were just 'satisfied'?"

"What do you want me to say? Our agreement was mutually beneficial because I could protect them and I could remain protected whilst with them."

"Protected how?"

Severus' eyelids flickered slightly and he moved away to sit on an armchair. Again, Remus could almost see the robes and cloak that Severus would pull around himself to create his barriers from the world. "I would rather not continue this conversation."

Remus suspected that his hunch had been right all along.

"Your feelings of protection were a fallacy, for they cannot give you what you need. They aren't able to protect you the way I can; the way I  _have._  Did they touch you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Did. They. Touch. You? Sexually." Remus walked slowly over towards Severus, scenting the air predatorily as he fought down his own feelings of jealousy.

"Not exactly. I hardly see how that matters…" Severus had grown more defensive the closer Remus got to him.

"It matters to  _me_. Did they or did they not touch you?"

"They…" Severus met Remus' eyes for only a moment, but it was enough time for Remus to see the pain therein. Suddenly, Severus bowed his head, his shoulders hunched, deflated. "No, they did not."

Remus felt a sharp pang of sorrow that Severus had given so much for so long and had served two masters, both of them utterly committed to achieving their goals and neither of them concerned with their minions. Remus bit down on his anger, for what was needed now weren't recriminations or any false platitudes. He was close enough to touch Severus' hair, and his fingers itched to reach out and grasp a fistful of it, but he knew that a harsh touch would do more harm than good. Slowly, he laid his hand on the top of Severus' head and pressed down very slightly, and without another word, Severus slid off the chair and onto his knees at Remus' feet.

A thrill of excitement and desire thrummed through Remus' body as his cock hardened so quickly that it was painful, and he was almost light-headed with the intensity of it. He was pleased to see that even though Severus knelt before him, the man's back was still straight, and although his head was bowed, he was not defeated. Remus slid his hand through Severus' hair and along his jaw until he held the sharp chin in his palm. He slowly tilted Severus' head up until their eyes met, and he was mesmerised by the intensity of the burning gaze.

"There have been men who had the audacity to think of themselves as your masters, when all they really did was to take away the choice for you not to serve them. The women have been no better. I would like to touch you, if you will allow it."

Severus nodded once.

"What do you want? Do you want fear and humiliation, or punishment so severe that you are unable to function properly for days? I am not willing to do that."

Severus sighed and shook his head wordlessly, but Remus couldn't tell whether it was with relief or disappointment.

"I don't know."

"What about freedom, Severus. What about  _your_  freedom? Will you submit to me and allow me to care for you and about you? Will you accept my control over your pleasure?"

Severus took a deep breath, and Remus waited. He knew how huge a decision this must be for Severus, and even though they were not dealing in any sort of permanency, it still wasn't a decision to enter into lightly.

"I… do not know if I can, Lupin, but I believe that I would like to try."

"Will you entrust me with your safety?"

"Lupin…" Severus closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Remus' stomach. His reply was muffled. "You  _know_  how I am with trust."

Unable to speak, Remus smoothed Severus' long black hair and nodded even though Severus couldn't see him, for if Severus gave him the gift of his submission, the honour and the responsibility would be great indeed.

~~*~~

A few weeks later, Remus entered Elixir late at night and stalked up to the Viewing Gallery. The crowd parted around him and he claimed a spot directly in the middle and settled in comfortably despite the press of bodies around him. He might have heard a few disgruntled mutterings, but he ignored them in favour of the view.

Severus was wearing a jet-black silken shirt and what could only be described as the tightest pair of dark-green dragonhide trousers in the history of clothing. His back was turned, and Remus' mouth went dry at the way the fabric hugged every contour of Severus' legs and arse. He had instructed Severus to wear something that harkened back to their days at Hogwarts, but he had never expected this. God! His own cock hardened in his trousers and he smirked in frustrated admiration. As Severus approached the Gallery with drinks in hand, the outline of his cock clearly defined, Remus felt the telltale circling of blood in his nether regions. It was with great effort that he brought his mind back to focus on his own order as Severus tilted his head in query.

"What can I get you?"

Remus licked his lips at the heat in Severus' eyes and smiled.

"A Dark Prince, please, and I'd like to buy you a drink."

The entire Gallery seemed to hold its breath, shocked at the audacity of this newcomer, for despite Remus' visits to the bar in the past, he'd never ventured across to 'their' side.

Severus paused for a moment, and his harsh features softened slightly as he accepted Remus' offer with a small bow of his head. "Thank you. I believe I'll have the same."

Remus pushed away from the bar and walked around the group of still-stunned patrons who were too distracted to notice the long lines of Severus' dragonhide-covered legs as he bent over to retrieve their drinks. He winked at Severus as he accepted the bottle and clinked them together, bringing his bottle to his lips but pausing long enough to properly appreciate the way Severus threw his head back and swallowed.

Severus thanked him for the drink and left to continuing serving his patrons, and Remus bared his teeth in a parody of a smile at those still in the Gallery.

~~*~~

Remus stayed to help Severus lock up the club and they walked to Severus' home together, their bodies side by side and their footsteps falling into sync without any effort. Severus was unusually quiet, but Remus was content to let him initiate conversation if he wanted to.

"No-one's ever done that before."

"What, buy you a drink and help you lock up?" Remus smiled to himself. "Clearly no-one's ever wanted you that much."

Severus abruptly stopped walking and Remus turned to face him. Severus' fists were clenched tightly at his sides and he seemed to be held taut by invisible ropes of tension.

"Clearly," he bit out, and for a moment Remus was confused at the sudden change in mood, but then he realized his mistake.

"I didn't mean it that way, Severus."

"But you're right, Lupin. No-one could ever see me as worth saving."

Remus' anger was a sudden rush of heat through his body, directed squarely at Albus, and at Voldemort, and at everyone in this broken man's life who had allowed him to feel worthless, who had made him feel less than human. He directed his anger at himself, too, for all his negligence as a teenager and young man. His heart felt as though it would burst as he reached out slowly and cradled Severus' face in his hands. "That's because no-one's ever cared to, Severus."

Severus' eyelids flickered slightly and Remus sensed his need to pull away. For a split second he though to prevent it, but knew that there was still so much to be discussed between himself and Severus, so he casually backed away, affording them both a little distance from the intensity of the moment. They resumed their walk and turned the corner into Severus' street, continuing for a short distance before Severus gestured to a small block of flats.

"This is where I live. It's on the ground floor. Care to come in?"

"Of course, if you'll have me." Remus mentally slapped himself after the words had left his mouth and was perversely thankful that the dark of night would hide his blush.

Severus didn't seem to notice Remus' slip of the tongue, or if he did, he didn't give any indication as he unlocked the door. "I've thought of a safe word."

_Severus has been doing his research,_  Remus thought with satisfaction as Severus led them into the flat.

"Which is?"

"Absinthe," he said as he shut and locked the door.

"Oh, very funny."

"What? I'm serious! Talk about putting the brakes on!"

"Very well. Absinthe it is. Is that what you used with the women?" Remus couldn't help himself and he just couldn't seem to let it go.

Severus gave him a questioning look as he walked past the door to the bedroom and into the small kitchen. Remus followed.

"How long had… that… been going on?"

"Not long at all." Severus looked slightly evasive and Remus though that odd. "I started a few nights after you first came to the bar."

"How coincidental." Remus turned to look at Severus who was looking at him and they slowly began to circle each other.

"Not a coincidence, Lupin."

There was a dangerous fire in Severus' gaze, and the animal in Remus responded with fervour as he backed them both against the wall of the kitchen, their tongues twining and their bodies pressed together and how could he not want this, how could  _anyone_  not want this, the passion and the burning and strong hands against his chest and gripping his arms and the feel of that arse under the dragonhide trousers, the muscles moving and contracting…

"Oh, God," Remus panted, clenching his jaw against the delicious friction and the sheer tension of it all. "Unnnnhh… don't ever stop... just… make me  _scream!_ "

"What?" Suddenly there was cold air and a definite lack of Severus' lips on Remus' skin.

"Don't STOP!" he growled in half-desperation. "Why are you  _stopping?_ "

"This doesn't have anything to do with bartending, does it?"

"Fuck, no," Remus snarled as he ground himself against Severus' hip and thigh, although a little bit of him was pleased that he could rattle his lover even in the throes of passion.

"I'm going to make you howl, wolf," Severus growled as he bit along Remus' jaw line in a way that made Remus shudder in pleasure from the sensation, and he moaned as Severus' teeth scored along his neck. He grabbed hold of Severus' shirt collar and dragged them both through the door and onto the bed, fully intending to make Severus howl  _and_  scream in return.

And Snorkacks had absolutely nothing to do with it.

~~ fin ~~


End file.
